Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-09-17
KEEP COOL.
Our Irving College Correspondent De-
livers Himself on the Topic
of the Day

"When you insult my brother, you
insult me-" and "We differ in opin-
ion, but he is a gentleman for all Of
that" are u%tterances Of Gov. Taylor
which have challenged the admiration
of our nation. These are unusual eX-
pressions to hear fall from the lips
of a politician when speaking of his
opponent. And the canvass in which
the Taylor brothers figured so promi-
nently is the only one in my MEM
DRY in which one could vote for eth
er aspirant and not feel that he was
compromising with his dignity or
self respect. The canvass was such
because personalities did not enter the
discussions but the aspirants for popu-
lar suffrage made the fight standing
upon party platforms and combining
themselves to the principles Of their
parties and the political issues at that
time agitating and dividing the pub
lie mind. The result of the election
every one knows, and Tennessee may
be reliably booked as a democratic
State so long as the issue is suspended
upon party principles.
So must this question of the "pro-
posed amendment" be settled if a
permanent settlement is desired.
False statistics, false history, misap-
piled scripture, ingenious sophistry,
personalities, ~detraction, and "mud-
throwing" will never properly or
permanently settle this question. To
say that on the one side are arrayed
"little preachers" "hot-heads,"
"broken-down politicians" "cranks"
and "short-haired growing women"
(and | have heard all of these names
applied), and on the other drunkards,
whisky men, prOfanes and infdels,
are poor, futile arguments for the set
thing of a great question upon which
it is claimed the liberties and welfare
of the people are dependent.
/ do not believe the churches are
trying to usurp governmental author
ity at all because some of their minis
tiers are very ardent and earnest in the
advocacy of prohibition. | do not
consider a man necessarily a broken
down politician because he has taken
his stand with the ''prohis." Nor do
| consider a man an, advocate OF
drunkenness, or a supporter of saloons
because he opposes the amendments
for there are men who believe that
constitutions should be held inviOlate
so long as stringent legislation will
rectify the evils aimed at by change
of organic law. And it is a pity that
such men, in advocating the principle
that constitutions are the foundations
of governments and the groundwork
of liberty, lend a helping hand to the
saloon. But such is the nature of the
question at issue that the strict con-
scientious constitutionalist and the
anarchy-loving, law-defying ~saloonist
stand side by side in this contest. 1t
is not an injustice to the majority OF
saloonists to say that they are against
the amendment because their fnan-
cial interests so demand. In fact out
side of its being impOlitic to tamper
with constitutions, there is but one
consideration in thisquestion as view
ed from the anti side, and that is the
effect it will have upon the finances
of our country.
And as to howit will effect money
matters in Tennessee | do not know.
nor do l know who does, although
have seen numbers who claim t.
know, many. of whom have ha(
no better opportunities and facilitie:
for understanding and knowing thar
we who plead ignorant. 1t is evi
dent that the passage of like laws do
not and can not effect all States alike
y good law for Maine or Texas is no
necessarily a good law for Tennessee
and rice UerS0.
But I must stop before reaching tn
middle of my speech, (or address
as l believe they call them) yet l viii
say in conclusion, that it is for the in
terest of the people to understand
this question if possible, and to vot
intelligently. "Stumpers'' SHOULD
discontinue appealing to the passions
prejudices, and sympathies of tn
people. In making laws or chang
ing governments it is better far t
appeal to a mans judgement ant
; reason.
Let the amendment carry or not
L, and l am green enough to believ
that no great revolution will tax
t place in Tennessee, because the pro
|. his tell us that if it does an increas